Featured Research

from universities, journals, and other organizations

Genetic Fingerprinting Improves Diagnosis And Treatment Of Sarcoma

Date:

May 21, 2002

Source:

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Summary:

New research being presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology demonstrates that a new technique enables doctors to distinguish the molecular differences among many subtypes of adult soft-tissue sarcoma, a type of cancer that is often difficult to diagnose and treat.

Share This

Orlando, FL, May 19, 2002 - Decades of research into the cell's molecular mechanics have produced a promising arsenal of drugs that selectively attack cancer cells and leave the surrounding normal tissue relatively untouched.

Related Articles

Because these drugs target tumors based on their unique genetic characteristics, the ability to accurately identify a cancer's biological makeup is key.

New research being presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology demonstrates that a new technique enables doctors to distinguish the molecular differences among many subtypes of adult soft-tissue sarcoma, a type of cancer that is often difficult to diagnose and treat.

Using a sophisticated technology called oligonucleotide array analysis, researchers developed a genetic fingerprint of each sarcoma, which will ultimately improve the diagnosis of this varied group of tumors and aid the development of targeted therapies for this disease.

"Our findings suggest that genetic fingerprinting of adult sarcomas will be useful in cases where pathologists disagree about a diagnosis or when the appearance of tumor cells does not conclusively link them to a particular subtype," said Robert Maki, MD, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and lead investigator of the study.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 8,700 new cases of soft-tissue sarcoma are diagnosed each year in adults and children in the United States. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the tumor followed by radiation therapy, and sometimes chemotherapy.

Many sarcomas look almost identical under the microscope, making it difficult to distinguish between certain subtypes and presenting unique challenges in detection and treatment.

For years, many pathologists grouped ambiguous sarcomas into a general category called malignant fibrous histiocytomas (MFH), a diagnosis that has been questioned as a distinct subtype of sarcoma. With current treatments, only about 50 percent of patients with MFH sarcoma survive the disease long-term. Now, researchers have been able to prove that MFH is in fact a separate subtype of the disease with unique genetic characteristics.

In the study, researchers tested 52 different samples of soft-tissue sarcoma on a single slide and analyzed the pattern of activity of approximately 12,500 genes. The technique allowed them to easily distinguish among soft-tissue sarcomas that have known genetic abnormalities.

In addition, they were able to differentiate between certain MFH sarcomas, and discovered that some of them formed a distinct subtype.

Researchers identified genes characteristic of each kind of soft-tissue sarcoma, which may ultimately lead to new, targeted drugs for patients with this disease.

"Genetic fingerprinting technology will also enhance our ability to predict patient outcome," said the study's senior author, Carlos Cordon-Cardo, MD, PhD, Director of the Division of Pathology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering. "Because we can see which genes are turned on or off in response to therapy, the technology will help us determine whether a particular sarcoma subtype will eventually become resistant to a given treatment," he said.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering experts have pioneered the molecular classification and diagnosis of many sarcoma subtypes and are leading the search for genetic markers that may help determine the aggressiveness of tumors and their potential response to treatment. In fact, Sloan-Kettering houses the largest dedicated database for soft-tissue sarcoma of any single institution anywhere.

As Dr. Maki notes, "The knowledge we have gained from this database has allowed us to help patients avoid excessive surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, and to anticipate how patients will respond to these therapies."

Researchers from Columbia University collaborated on the work, which was supported by the National Cancer Institute.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the world's oldest and largest institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research and education in cancer. Our scientists and clinicians generate innovative approaches to better understand, diagnose and treat cancer. Our specialists are leaders in biomedical research and in translating the latest research to advance the standard of cancer care worldwide.

Featured Research

Mar. 31, 2015  Researchers have illuminated an important distinction between mice and humans: how human livers heal. The difference centers on a protein called PPAR alpha which activates liver ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Researchers have recorded the first direct observations of the micro-scale mechanisms behind the ability of skin to resist tearing. The results could be applied to the improvement of artificial skin, ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Fewer than half of the physicians trained in the United States in 2013 received formal education or training on the subject of exercise, according to new research. "There are immense medical benefits ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Memory and as well as connections between brain cells were restored in mice with a model of Alzheimer's given an experimental cancer drug, researchers report. "With this treatment, cells under ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Increasing state alcohol taxes could prevent thousands of deaths a year from car crashes, say researchers, who found alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes decreased after taxes on beer, wine and ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Alcoholism takes a toll on every aspect of a person's life, including skin problems. Now, a new research report helps explain why this happens and what might be done to address it. "The clinical ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  A new population of 'memory' immune cells has been discovered by scientists, throwing light on what the body does when it sees a microbe for the second time. This insight, and others like it, will ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  Coronary heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States, are diseases associated with heightened platelet reactivity. A new study in humans suggests an underlying ... full story

Mar. 31, 2015  A new study had researchers seeking answers to why the therapeutic benefit afforded by SSRIs was so limited in children and teenagers. If researchers can uncover the biological mechanisms preventing ... full story

Featured Videos

Solitair Device Aims to Takes Guesswork out of Sun Safety

Reuters - Innovations Video Online (Mar. 31, 2015)  The Solitair device aims to take the confusion out of how much sunlight we should expose our skin to. Small enough to be worn as a tie or hair clip, it monitors the user&apos;s sun exposure by taking into account their skin pigment, location and schedule. Matthew Stock reports.
Video provided by Reuters

Soda, Salt and Sugar: The Next Generation of Taxes

Washington Post (Mar. 30, 2015)  Denisa Livingston, a health advocate for the Dinι Community Advocacy Alliance, and the Post&apos;s Abby Phillip discuss efforts around the country to make unhealthy food choices hurt your wallet as much as your waistline.
Video provided by Washington Post

S. Leone in New Anti-Ebola Lockdown

AFP (Mar. 28, 2015)  Sierra Leone imposed a three-day nationwide lockdown Friday for the second time in six months in a bid to prevent a resurgence of the deadly Ebola virus. Duration: 01:17
Video provided by AFP

Related Stories

Feb. 10, 2015  Clinical trial results more firmly establish that for patients with soft tissue sarcomas, image-guided radiation directed towards a smaller target area great reduced long term negative impact without ... full story

Jan. 29, 2015  Inhibition of Sirtuin1 protein may be a future treatment option for metastatic Ewing sarcoma, researchers report. Ewing's sarcoma is the second most common bone cancer and affects children and ... full story

Oct. 1, 2014  The majority of patients diagnosed with sarcoma will be cured of their disease and live cancer-free. But as they age, these patients – who are diagnosed as children, teens or young adults – are ... full story

Mar. 25, 2014  A new study does not support administration of intensified doxorubicin and ifosfamide for palliation of advanced soft tissue sarcoma, unless the objective is to shrink the tumor. The coordinator of ... full story

June 29, 2012  A new study implicates the protein EYA3 in Ewing's sarcoma chemoresistance. Checking level could help offer accurate prognosis and aid in treatment decisions, and could eventually provide a ... full story

ScienceDaily features breaking news and videos about the latest discoveries in health, technology, the environment, and more -- from major news services and leading universities, scientific journals, and research organizations.